CareersinMedicalPhysics:AResourceGuide

Provided toJanetTate,OregonStateUniversityPerkind favorofMiriamLambert,M.S.,MedicalPhysicistatNWKaiserPermanentehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-lambert-b7396218January2016

CareersinMedicalPhysics:AResourceGuide

MedicalPhysicsSpecialties

• Therapeutic(alsocalledTherapyPhysics)• Focusesontreatingcancerwithradiation(highenergyx-rays,electrons,orprotons).

• Diagnostic(alsocalledImagingPhysics)• Focusesonthediagnosisofcancer(CTscanners,MRImachines,lowenergyx-rays).

• MedicalNuclearPhysics• Focusesonthediagnosisandtreatmentofcancerusingradioactiveisotopes.

TherapyPhysics

• Clinicaland/orresearchworkdedicatedtothetreatmentofcancer.• Intheclinic,workwithradiationoncologistsandtherapystafftotreatcancerpatients.• Commissionandcalibratetreatmentmachines,primarilyelectronorprotonaccelerators.• Doqualityassurancetoverifyeachpatientistreatedcorrectly.• Mostworkdoneduringtheday,butsomeeveningandweekendworkrequired.

DiagnosticorImagingPhysics

• Clinicaland/orresearchworkdedicatedtothediagnosisofcancer.• Intheclinic,takeresponsibilityforcommissioningnewCTscanners,x-ray,mammography,orMRImachines.Performmonthlyqualityassurancetestsoneachimagingmachinetoensurehighqualityimageswhileminimizingradiationdosetothepatient.• Majorityofroutineworkdoneduringbreaksorafterhours.Mayrequireagreateramountofeveningorweekendworkthantherapyornuclearmedicinephysics.

MedicalNuclearPhysics

• Thesmallestbranchofmedicalphysics.• Clinicaland/orresearchworkdedicatedtothediagnosisandtreatmentofcancerusingradioactiveisotopesproducedinanuclearreactor.• Mostworkatuniversitieswithclinicalreactors.

MedicalPhysicistCareerOptions• University

• MostpositionsrequireaPhDinMedicalPhysics– oraPhDinanotherfieldandaresidencyinMedicalPhysics.• Manyresearchmedicalphysicistssplittheirtimebetweenresearchandhands-onclinicalwork.• Theold“publishorperish”criterionstillapplies.

• Clinic• ManypositionsdonotrequireaPhD– atwoyearMaster’sdegreeandaresidencyarejustfine.• Lotsofhands-onclinicalworkandroutineQA.Verylittletimeorresourcesareavailablefororiginalresearch.• Nopressuretopublishunlessyouwanttoandcandoresearchwhentheclinicisslow.

• Industry• VeryfewpositionsrequireaPhD.• SomepositionsmayonlyrequireaBachelor’sdegreeinPhysics.• ABRcertificationmaynotbenecessary.• Theworkmaymorecloselyresembleengineeringorprogrammingthantraditionalphysicsresearch.• Opportunitytoworkonnewtechnologywithoutthehassleofgrantapplications!

• Government• ManypositionsdonotrequireaPhD.• Mostlyregulatorywork– writingnewstateorfederalrulesforradiationtreatmentorimagingmachines.• HealthPhysicswork– auditingclinicstoverifytheyareoperatingwithinguidelines.

Let’sTalk$$$

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AverageMedicalPhysicist Salaryasof2014

ClinicorUniversity

Industry

TheClinical(Non-Industry)MedicalPhysicistCareerPath

• Bachelor’sDegreeinPhysics(4years)• MSc,PhD,orDMPinMedicalPhysics(2– 7years)• Residency(2years)• CompletePart1oftheABRexam(ingradschoolorresidency)• Getfirstjobasajuniorphysicist• CompletePart2oftheABRexam• CompletePart3oftheABRexam• YouarenowanABRcertifiedmedicalphysicist!• EnrollinMaintenanceofCertificationwiththeABR(ongoingrequirementsfortherestofyourcareer).

DegreeRequirements

• Therearethreegraduatedegreeoptionsformedicalphysicists• MSc(MasterofScience)

• Requires2yearsofgraduateschool• Allowsyoutoworkinmostclinics

• PhD(Doctorate)• Average5– 7yearsofgraduateschool• Requiredtoworkinmostuniversities

• DMP(ProfessionalDoctorateinMedicalPhysics)• 2yearsgraduateschool+2yearresidency• Allowsyoutoworkinmostclinics,butmaynotbeacceptableforuniversitypositions

ABRRequirements

• TheAmericanBoardofRadiology(ABR)certifiesmedicalphysicistsintheU.S.andCanada.Inordertoadvanceinthefield,youmustbeABRcertified.TheABRrequiresthatyou:• ReceiveyourdegreefromaCAMPEPaccreditedprogram• Completea2yearresidencyfromaCAMPEPaccreditedprogram• Pass3examsoverthecourseofsixyearsfromthetimeyoufinishresidency

• Part1:written,coversabroadrangeofphysicsprinciplesandalsoananatomyexam.Maybetakenwhileingradschoolorresidency.

• Part2:written,focusesonmedicalphysicsratherthanphysicsingeneral.Canonlybetakenaftercompletingresidency.

• Part3:oral,specificallydealswiththebranchofphysicsyou’vechosentomakeyourspecialty(Therapy,Imaging,orNuc Med).CanonlybetakenafterpassingParts1and2.

CAMPEP

• TheCommissiononAccreditationofMedicalPhysicsEducationPrograms(CAMPEP)certifiesthatgraduateprogramsmeetcertainstandardsinteachingmedicalphysics.

• MAKESUREtheprogramyouapplytoisCAMPEPaccredited!YoucannotapplytotaketheABRexamunlessyougraduatefromanaccreditedprogram.

APartialListofCAMPEPAccreditedGraduatePrograms

• ClevelandStateUniversity– ClevelandClinic• GeorgiaInstituteofTechnology• OregonStateUniversity/OregonHealthSciencesUniversity• SanDiegoStateUniversity• UniversityofBritishColumbia• UniversityofFlorida• UniversityofWisconsin• VanderbiltUniversitySchoolofMedicine(offersaDMPprogram)

CheckthefulllistofCAMPEPaccreditedgraduateprogramshere:www.campep.org

Residency

• TheABRrequiresaCAMPEPaccreditedresidencyforboardcertification,butitcanbehardtoget!• In2015thereweremorethan150applicantsfor117totalavailableresidencypositions.• Thereare80accreditedTherapyPhysicsresidencyprograms.• Thereare11accreditedImagingPhysicsresidencyprograms.• Thereareonly2accreditedNuclearMedicineresidencyprograms(youmayapplytoanImagingPhysicsresidencyandapplypartialcredittotheNuc Medresidencyrequirement)

TheDMP

• SincetheABRrequiresaresidencyanyway,whynotcombineyourMaster’sDegreeandresidencyintooneprogram?ThisistheDMP,orProfessionalDoctorateofMedicalPhysics.• Advantages• GuaranteedResidency.• Clinicallyfocused,unlikeaPhDwhichhasaresearchfocus.

• Disadvantages• Anewdegree,notwidelyknowntohospitaladministrators(i.e.,thepeoplewhomighthireyou).• TheONLYcurrentlyCAMPEPaccreditedDMPprogramisatVanderbiltUniversitySchoolofMedicine

FindingaJoborResidency

• TheAmericanAssociationofPhysicistsinMedicine(AAPM)isyourfirst,bestresource.Theypublishaquarterlybluebook(nowelectronic)thatlistsjobopportunitiesformedicalphysicistsofallstripes.TheyalsohavealinkforaResidencyMatchprogram.Youcanjoinasastudentifanothermedicalphysicistsponsorsyou.

http://www.aapm.org• CAMPEPpublishesalistofaccrediteduniversityandresidencyprograms.

http://www.campep.org

JobsinIndustry

Ifyou’rereadytobedonewithschool,workingforacompanyratherthanauniversityorclinicmightbeyourpreference.Here’sjustapartiallistofthemanycompaniesinhealthcare,somebig,somesmall,thatemployphysicistsandengineers.

Varian MedicalSystems Elekta BrainLabGeneralElectric Phillips RaySearchSunNuclearCorporation Wellhofer LAPLaserPTW MobiusMedicalSystems

StudentResources

• StayintouchwithmedicalphysiciststudentsandtraineesviatheSTSCblog,facebook,andtwitteraccounts.https://aapmstsc.wordpress.com/

• Ifyou’reanundergraduate,considerapplyingforasummerinternshipinmedicalphysics.Inadditiontotheregularsummerundergraduatefellowshipprogram,womenandminoritystudentsmaybeeligiblefortheDREAMprogram,whichworkstoincreasediversityinthefield.Clickthelinkandscrolltothebottomofthepage.http://gaf.aapm.org/

GOODLUCK!!!

Itmaytakepersistence,butyou’reaphysicist.Youhavethatinspades.Youcangetawellpayingjobinafieldthat’spersonallyandprofessionallyrewarding,andwhetherinindustry,research,ortheclinic,youcanmakearealdifference.Believeinyourself,anddon’tgiveup.Itwillhappen.